News Desk 
Blank sailing data tracked at major Shenzhen ports by project44 has shot up, spelling further cost increases and inventory shortages for businesses as they struggle to meet the demands of reopening economies. The Port of Yantian (YICT), a critical connection for factories and retailers across the globe, which handles 13 million TEUs per year, is at the epicenter of China’s latest COVID-19 quarantine efforts.
With more inventory delayed than ever before, shippers are scrambling to find solutions. A significant collaboration between Shifl, a digital freight forwarder, and Terminal49, a container and shipment tracking platform enhances data accessibility, providing the same level of visibility to all shippers, whether they ship 5 or 20,000 TEUs a year.
Shippers are struggling to navigate capacity shortages, port congestion, and reliability issues—all of which have become defining features of the current supply chain environment. This new collaboration brings shippers improved data accuracy and end-to-end visibility while keeping them in the loop at all times.
As everyone is aware by now, the the X-Press Pearl, a Singapore flagged feeder vessel operated by X-Press Feeders started burning on the 21st of May off the coast of Sri Lanka.
On the 2nd of June, the vessel started sinking despite valiant efforts to fight the fire and as of 12th June is still hanging in there with the fore (bow) of the ship clinging to its last vestiges above the sea level while the aft of the vessel is submerged and resting on the sea bed at a depth of 21 meters.
Despite valiant efforts by the ship salvors, Sri Lankan Navy, Indian Navy and many other entities involved in the firefighting and salvage operations, as expected, it has been announced that the journey of the X-Press Pearl has come to an end.
X-Press Feeders, operators of the container ship X-Press Pearl issued a notice that despite salvors successfully boarding the vessel and attaching a tow wire, efforts to move the ship to deeper waters failed, and the ship’s aft (rear) portion is now at the bottom of the sea bed at a depth of 21 meters and the bow (front) slowly sinking as well.
The news about X-Press Pearl is fast becoming a sensation (next probably only to the Ever Given – which is still stuck in Egypt by the way) as the interest in its happenings is growing day by day.
As of the 31st May 2021, the news was that the flames on board the ship has been contained although the ship was still emitting smoke.
In the meantime, local news media in Sri Lanka is reporting that based on an order the Colombo Additional Magistrate’s Court, the Captain, Chief Engineer, and the Second Chief Engineer of the ship have been banned from leaving Sri Lanka as investigations are continuing.
It is rarely that a 2-3 month old ship faces a possible fiery end of its life.
The world hopes that will not be the case with the X-Press Pearl – a Singapore flagged 36150 DWT container ship which is still burning in Sri Lankan waters, off the port of Colombo since the 21st of May.
This is amid serious concerns of severe environmental impact due to the incident in which several containers have already fallen off the ship and have washed up ashore, especially near Negombo a popular tourist destination in Sri Lanka.
BIMCO has launched an initiative to raise awareness about the crucial role of shipping and its seafarers. Seafarers are keyworkers who make the world work and seafarers deserve our support.
Help raise awareness outside the shipping industry by sharing these videos which reflect the struggle faced by seafarers on a daily basis.
As you may have read, the X-Press Pearl, a 1400+ TEU capacity, 2 month old feeder vessel operated by X-Press feeders on their Singapore/Middle East service is currently burning in the Indian Ocean close to the port of Colombo.
The fire which started on the 19th of May 2021 while waiting at anchorage, was subsequently brought under control with the help of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA), Sri Lanka Navy and the Sri Lankan Airforce which dropped fire suppressing powder on the vessel, but the fire started again followed by an explosion which is still burning.
Here is the latest update on the situation.
Alone, and on fire – this seems to be the status of X-Press Pearl, a feeder vessel operated by X-Press feeders on their Singapore/Middle East service currently burning in the Indian Ocean close to the port of Colombo, is one of the premier transhipment hubs in the Indian Ocean.
A project44 analysis of the schedules of various shipping lines indicates that cargo delays could last well into the summer with several blank sailings seen in the schedules.
With maxed-out vessels skipping more ports, project44 is warning shippers to adopt proactive supply chain strategies that anticipate delays.
Recent changes to regulations in Russian law now make it possible for forwarders and road hauliers to access full liability cover, similar to that enjoyed by those in the global supply chain.
However, most insurance products on the market don’t offer comprehensive protection.
“Rising Rollover Rates Show Worsening Maritime Supply Chain Delays”.. This is the gist of April’s container rollover statistics published by project44 the global leader in advanced visibility for shippers and logistics service providers.
The report and figures indicate that maritime supply chain woes are worsening, with little indication that carriers are addressing the industry’s serious capacity issues.
In their Sustainability Report of 2020, Maersk mentioned that “Diversity and inclusion are part of our value system, and our support for social justice and anti-discrimination is also expected by our employees“.
In line with this, Maersk launched their Maersk for Inclusion Excellence groups in the North American Region.. As part of this initiative, Maersk painted two (1×20′ & 1×40′) of their shipping containers with a rainbow to symbolise inclusion and diversity and integrated these containers into their fleet.
These containers are on a world tour and have currently reached Netherlands.
New due diligence tool aims to help businesses uphold their responsibility to protect human rights at sea.
This is the message from the IMO who have issued a wide-ranging set of guidance to help enterprises using shipping services to protect the human rights of seafarers, as hundred of thousands are still stranded on ships due to COVID-19 imposed travel restrictions.
The Human Rights Due Diligence Tool is a joint initiative of the UN Global Compact (UNGC), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN Human Rights), the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
project44, the global leader in advanced visibility for shippers and logistics service providers will expand its real-time shipment tracking services in China – giving clients the same transportation visibility it … Read more here..